Trisuli Advance

Allow ministry in Trisuli (Nepal) began with pastor training. Our partner began work among these people about 15 years ago, with the village evangelism strategy of teaching health, hygiene, farming, literacy which results in relationships ready to hear the gospel. As we talked, our partner could not remember how many times he had climbed the mountain by foot, before this terrible road was built. Wow. Even in the prime of my youth and fitness (now long past), I cannot imagine coming up this mountain without vehicle and—even for the Lord—I am just not sure I would ever have been willing to do it. Today the fruit of his labor includes 17 pastors/cell group leaders leading little pockets of believers throughout the area. These men cannot leave their homes and crops to attend Bible College, but they have the same hunger for it that we have seen all over Nepal. We bring the teachers to them, in short modules that they can receive and use, with more modules coming as we are able to make the trips. This summer, we took one child from each of these pastors into our sponsorship program. This will help each family, a bit, and encourage them in their volunteer ministry, as we help their child. Up the mountain we went, where I ( and Tamara with me) would meet these people and the children for the first time. I will not say that it was the worst road ever of my experience, but it was definitely in the top five. It was several hours of bumping and potholes on a narrow path with breathtaking, unprotected drops always on one side. The church was nestled along one drop as well and I took note of it, since I might need to make the walk to the toilet during the night, The air was crisp and cool and clean in contrast to the city pollution of Kathmandu. Some of the children had walked with their fathers for as much as 8 hours to meet with me. They would sleep with us in the church for the night and make the return next day. We fed them, gave prepared and packaged gifts and took the pictures needed for our program. The children settled on the floor to make a picture for their sponsors. Most are too young or too new to education to write a letter, even in Nepali. I wonder if the sponsors can know how precious those pictures are. These kids are never able to color. It was probably the first experience for most, if not all of them. The sponsorship money means that they can go to school, and have a school uniform. They will carry home new back packs filled with new Bible, notebooks, pencils, toothbrush and paste, knitted hats, bottle of vitamins, nutritious snacks. All of this, provided by sponsors. We will be holding medical clinics next week for two days and in December, another pastor training. It is a rugged area. It means forgoing the comfort of familiar foods, carrying bottled water—if you do not want to drink from the tap- sleeping in a room that comes alive with mousa during the night. (Mousa is a Nepali word, but perhaps the reader understands.) It is all so worth it, to be a part of bringing the gospel to these dear people. Wow. God lets me do this. Sue Cook